Recently, Windows 10 has been in the spotlight of tech news again, with various headlines that induce a false sense of security. Some are speculating that Microsoft might change its mind about the end of the support date for this operating system, or that things won’t actually be as bad as they initially seemed, as we’ll get support for apps like those included in Microsoft 365 subscriptions that will be used on Windows 10 systems until October 10th, 2028. Unfortunately, the reality is that on October 14th, 2025, Microsoft will permanently end support for Windows 10. Yes, there is an option to continue using this operating system until 2028, but it doesn’t come cheap. So let’s explore together what options we really have and their implications:
The worst choice: Ignoring that Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025
Unfortunately, it’s human to run away from the difficult problems in our lives. They often frighten us, and solving them can involve considerable effort that we are not prepared or willing to make. This is true even when it comes to business organizations or public institutions, not just home users running Windows 10 on a PC or laptop. While many apps, games and services will continue to work for a while on Windows 10 devices, Windows 10 PCs will be missing the following services:
- Microsoft will no longer provide technical support for Windows 10 issues. Dedicated support teams will no longer be available for such services.
- Microsoft will no longer have developer teams creating new features, apps, and services for Windows 10.
- Requests to resolve technical issues or develop new Windows 10 features will be ignored.
- Software and hardware manufacturers will gradually stop offering products compatible with Windows 10.
Users and organizations that don’t take action and continue using Windows 10 after October 14th, 2025, will be on their own and will open themselves up to many problems. The most pressing will be security risks, as Windows 10 will become an easy target for computer viruses, hackers, and all types of malware threats. Windows 10 systems will be increasingly easy to attack and infect. I expect ransomware attacks to affect a high percentage of Windows 10 users in a short time. And no one will be spared, not even home users, who have a laptop that they occasionally connect to Wi-Fi and the internet. The issues caused by poor security will be a major concern for companies that will become non-compliant with regulatory requirements, especially those from the European Union. While all companies will be impacted, this will be especially painful for those working in healthcare, finance, or defense contracting.
Furthermore, compatibility problems with various new apps, games, hardware and services will become increasingly common. Windows 10 will no longer be supported by new software releases, drivers, and popular apps like web browsers, and the operating system will become increasingly difficult to use. All this will happen gradually, not all at once. The process will be irreversible, though.
The simple but expensive solution: Buying new Windows 11 systems (including Copilot+ PC devices)
The easiest way to solve this problem is to buy new PCs and laptops that either come with Windows 11 or that you can install Windows 11 on. There are many options on the market, with prices to suit all budgets, from entry-level laptops starting at around 300 US dollars to premium models costing more than 2000 US dollars. And if you want a desktop PC, there are again plenty of options to choose from, including all types of setups. For example, we recently tested a pre-assembled system called the ZMEU Comic Con Edition, which offers a balanced configuration for a moderate price.
ZMEU Comic Con Edition supports Windows 11
It features an AMD Ryzen 5 5600 processor, a Gigabyte B550M AORUS Elite motherboard, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, 32GB of Kingston DDR4-3200 RAM, and a 1TB Kingston NV3 NVMe SSD.
The Kingston NV3 NVMe NVMe SSD works great with Windows 11
In our tests, it delivered good gaming performance, low temperatures, and silent operation. And, of course, it smoothly runs Windows 11, an operating system that will be getting tech support from Microsoft for a long time to come.
Another choice is to purchase laptops and computers that are labeled as Copilot+ PC devices. They include specialized hardware for working with tools and services based on artificial intelligence (AI), and they also give you access to exclusive Windows 11 features like Windows Studio Effects, Recall, Presence Sensing, and more.
There are many Copilot+ PC devices to choose from
Image source: Microsoft
This option can be expensive in the short term. Fortunately, there are options for people and organizations on a budget. Either way, this is a better solution than ….
An expensive delay: Paying for the Windows 10 Extended Security Updates program
If you’re not ready to migrate to Windows 11 and want to continue using Windows 10 without exposing yourself to significant security risks, you have the option to pay for the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, which will be available for three years, until October 2028, and will cost $61 per year for each device if you’re a business or institution, and $30 per year for each device if you’re a home user. The price will double every year until this program ends. During this period, you won’t get Windows 10 technical support, as before, but only:
- Security updates for Windows 10, so the systems you’re using aren’t exposed to threats.
- Technical support for issues caused by these security updates. Other issues you may experience in Windows 10 will receive a recommendation to upgrade to Windows 11 without further help from Microsoft.
- Security updates for apps included in Microsoft 365 subscriptions. These will also be available to Windows 10 users who don’t pay the ESU subscription. Note that these will only apply to apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, not to the operating system you’re using or to Microsoft apps outside Microsoft 365 subscriptions.
As a result, although they will be paying quite a lot of money, especially in the third year of the program, users opting for ESU will not get much help, significantly reducing the value of such a subscription, especially for the second and third year of use. And when this program is no longer available, it will still require a costly upgrade to new computers and devices with Windows 11, or who knows, maybe Windows 12.
A reasonable option for some users: Upgrading some hardware and moving to Windows 11
Windows 10 users can upgrade to Windows 11 for free. If you have a PC or laptop that meets the Windows 11 system requirements, you can upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 in minutes. To help you, we have a step-by-step guide: How to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 for free.
Use the Windows 11 Installation Assistant for an easy upgrade
If your PC or laptop lacks enough RAM or big and fast enough storage, there’s a simple and often reasonably priced fix. You can buy a memory kit, like the Kingston FURY Renegade DDR4 3200 MT/s (also used in the system mentioned earlier), or an SSD currently available for a great price, like the Kingston KC3000 we tested a few years ago, which is still a relevant option for those who want a fast storage solution.
Kingston KC3000 is a fast SSD drive with a really good price
If the processor in the PC or laptop you’re using isn’t compatible with Windows 11, your situation can be quite difficult. Upgrading your hardware will be expensive, and you may be better off buying a new device that comes with Windows 11 pre-installed. Alternatively, you can install Windows 11 on your unsupported hardware using the solutions in the guide we created on the subject.
You can force install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware
Unfortunately, you may have some issues and performance may not be great. However, this can be improved with a RAM or SSD upgrade, if the system you’re using allows it. Unfortunately, many old, cheap Windows 10 laptops don’t have an M.2 slot for adding an NVMe SSD, nor can you change the RAM installed. In this case, the only way to continue using the device without exposing yourself to major security issues is to change the operating system to Linux. Our favorite option here still is Ubuntu.
What are your plans for the day when Windows 10 support stops?
I know a good number of Digital Citizen readers use Windows 10 on their systems, both at work and at home. I wonder how many of you are aware that there are only a few months left until Microsoft ends its support for this operating system, and what your plans are beyond October 14th, 2025. Will you continue using Windows 10 and pay for the ESU program? Or will you upgrade to Windows 11 — maybe along with a RAM or SSD upgrade? Or perhaps you’ve already bought a new Windows 11 PC or laptop? Tell me your plan in a comment using the options available below.
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